| Family: | Primulaceae |
|---|---|
| Common name: | primrose family [absent from Zomlefer] |
| Diversity: | Worldwide: 28 genera; ~1,000 species U.S.: 11 genera PNW (Hitchcock & Cronquist): 9 genera |
| Flower -- Vegetative Features -- Economic Importance -- Flower Images-- Web Sites | |
| Flower | |
|---|---|
| K(5) Co(5) S5 P (5) | |
| Sexuality: | bisexual |
| Symmetry: | actinomorphic |
| Inflorescence: | usually in scapes (leafless inflor.) as a solitary flower, raceme, or umbel |
| Calyx (sepals): | 5, fused into tube |
| Corolla (petals): | 5, usually fused, with lobes sometimes reflexed |
| Androecium: | 5, opposite the petals (=antipetalous) |
| Gynoecium: | 5 united carpels, superior ovary (=hypogynous) to half-inferior ovary, single style, free-central placentation |
| Fruit: | capsule |
| Other features: | some species are heterostylous (pin and thrum morphs) flowers are subtended by bracts |
| Vegetative Features | |
|---|---|
| Leaves: | usu. opposite, basal or whorled, simple, exstipulate, sometimes with glandular hairs on leaves and stem |
| Life-history: | annual to perennial |
| Habit: | herbs, rarely shrubs |
| Distribution & Ecology: | cosmopolitan, mostly temperate regions of N hemisphere |
| Some Northwest Genera: | Dodecatheon, shooting star Lysimachia, loosestrife Trientalis, star flower |
| Economic Importance | |
|---|---|
| Crops: | |
| Ornamentals: | Primula, primrose Cyclamen, cyclamen |
| Weedy and pest species: | |
| Examples | Primulaceae Dodecatheon |
|---|---|
| Primulaceae Primula |
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| Primulaceae Primula |
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| click on the genus name for a flower image | |
Links to Other Web Sites
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